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Helmsman
More frequently than not, evolution results in expansive transformations. Bodies and systems grow larger and more complex, with many more aspects and parts than its progenitors could ever have comprehended. Such is the case with war, where individual warriors have eventually found themselves supplanted by troops and formations and those organizations have eventually been invalidated by vast and mighty war machines. However, such machines are worthless without guidance and command. Helmsmen act as the minds as well as the hearts of the vessels they operate, ordering them in battle and pushing them far beyond their normal capacity. Pouring their own knowledge and energy into their armaments, these sage commanders harness technology to the utmost, utilizing it to assert themselves as unchallenged lords of war. Role: The helmsman utilizes a powerful vessel to command the battlefield, either from close quarters as an immense sentinel or from range as a destructive artillery battery. Either way, the helmsman is more than capable of adapting his vessel to suit a variety of dangerous situations. Alignment: Helmsmen can be of any alignment, but those that serve in military affairs typically possess an inclination towards discipline and thus a lawful bent. Chaotic helmsmen are more frequently pirates, renegades, or others who seek to use their mastery of piloting for their own inclines. Helmsmen have no particular favor of either good or evil and exist on both sides in equal frequency. Hit Dice: d8 Class Skills: The Helmsman’s Class Skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Craft (any) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Engineering) (Int), Knowledge (Martial) (Int), Perception (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Swim (Str). Skill Points per level: 4 + Intelligence modifier 'Class Features' 'Weapon and Armor Proficiency' Helmsmen are proficient with simple weapons and one martial weapon of their choice. They are proficient with light and medium armor and with shields. 'Veilweaving' A helmsman is adept at shaping the magical essence known as akasha into powerful veils, which are drawn from the helmsman veil list. The helmsman knows and can shape any veil from this list; however, he cannot shape a veil whose alignment opposes his own. The DC for a saving throw against a veil’s abilities is 10 + the number of points of essence invested in the veil + his Intelligence modifier. He can only shape a certain number of veils per day (see veilweaving table above). The helmsman gains access to a unique veil slot: the inteface slot. Veils are constructs of pure magic and, as such, are suppressed while in the area of an antimagic field or similar phenomena. If using the Akasha as Cybertech alternate ruleset, they are instead treated as technological effects that are suppressed by an antitech field or similar phenomenon. At 1st level he also gains access to a personal pool of essence, which can be invested into veils to increase their power. The amount of available essence is listed in the table above; the helmsman’s character level determines the maximum quantity of essence he can invest in any single veil or other receptacle. As a swift action, the helmsman can reallocate his essence investments into his veils every round. A helmsman must have at least 8 hours rest or meditation to achieve a clear and focused state and must meditate for one hour to shape his veils for the day. During this time, he unshapes any previously formed veils and constructs the ones chosen. At the end of the hour, all effects of unshaped veils end and the effects of all newly formed veils take effect. 'Bonded Vessel' A helmsman gains the use of a powerful and versatile machine that he is capable of augmenting with his akashic abilities. At 1st level, the helmsman chooses to gain either a companion mech or a companion vehicle. His effective pilot level is equal to his helmsman level. In addition, the helmsman’s bonded vessel gains the benefits of all feats, veils, and chakra binds that the helmsman is using, even if it would not have the corresponding components to use a veil (for example, a treaded mech could gain the benefits of a feet slot veil that the helmsman has shaped even though it does not have feet). If a veil creates a weapon (such as hand cannons), the weapons manifest somewhere on the bonded vessel (using the size of the helmsman to determine damage die) and may be used in addition to other weapons that the vehicle or mech possesses. However, if the weapon is explicitly wielded in your hands (such as the loyal paladin’s spear of light), it takes up one weapon slot for each weapon created. The weapon can take up multiple weapon slots if its size is increased beyond medium. In a process that takes 8 hours, a helmsman can choose another vehicle or mech to become his bonded vessel, causing his old vessel to lose all benefits of the helmsman’s class features. A single vessel cannot gain the benefits of more than one helmsman at a time. (Mech Companions can be found here) 'Hypercharge (Su)' Starting at 1st level, a helmsman gains the ability to sacrifice essence to momentarily enhance the abilities of his bonded vessel. At 1st level and every odd-numbered level thereafter, the helmsman learns one hypercharge. As an immediate or swift action, the helmsman may activate one of his known hypercharges by taking the listed amount of essence burn. Essence that has been burned to activate an ability cannot be used again for any other purpose until the helmsman has had a chance to meditate. Essence burn recovers at a rate of 1 point of essence per minute spent in meditation. Each hypercharge last for a number of rounds equal to the helmsman’s intelligence modifier unless otherwise specified. At 1st level, a helmsman gains the ability to select the following hypercharges: * Overdrive (varies): The helmsman learns one overdrive ability possessed by the reactor knight psychic warrior archetype, using his intelligence in place of Wisdom to determine the effects of attacks. For every boost point spent to use an ability, the helmsman instead takes one point of essence burn. * Overload (1 point): Choose one akashic armament or veil that the bonded vessel has essence invested in. For the duration of this hypercharge, the effective amount of essence invested is increased by 3, even if this would normally exceed the maximum number of allowed essence invested in the armament. * Roll with It ''(1 point): When the bonded vessel makes an attack roll or saving throw, the helmsman may burn a point of essence to reroll the attack or save. * ''Instant Repair ''(2 points): The bonded vessel recovers an amount of hit points equal to twice the helmsman’s level. This ability has a duration of instantaneous. At 7th level, a helmsman gains the ability to select the following hypercharges. * ''Hardware Augment ''(3 points): The bonded vessel gains the benefits of a single mech enhancement for the duration of this hypercharge. * ''Press the Assault ''(2 points): When the bonded vessel makes an attack roll against a target, you may activate this hypercharge to make one additional attack with the same weapon. The duration of this hypercharge is instantaneous. * ''Software Augment ''(2 points): The bonded vessel gains the benefits of a single combat feat that they or the helmsman meet the prerequisites for for the duration of this hypercharge. At 13th level, a helmsman gains the ability to select the following hypercharges. * ''Break Free ''(3 points): The bonded vessel gains the benefits of a ''freedom of movement ''spell for the duration of this hypercharge. * ''Daring Escape ''(3 points): You may activate this hypercharge at any time to cause the vessel to move up to its speed as an immediate action. This movement does not provoke attack of opportunity. * ''Expansive Blast ''(4 points): The next ranged attack that the bonded vessel makes affects all opponents within a 60 foot cone or 100 foot line. If the attack is already a line or cone, then the range of that attack may instead be doubled. The vessel makes a single attack roll and compares it to the AC of each target within the area. If the attack allows a saving throw, each target may make one. * ''Shockwave Strike ''(3 points): The next melee attack that the bonded vessel makes affects all opponents within a 15: foot cone or a 20: foot line. The vessel makes a single attack roll and compares it to the AC of each target within the area. If the attack allows a saving throw, each target may make one. * ''Tear Through ''(3 points): The bonded vessel’s attacks ignore any DR, hardness or Energy Resistance their targets possess for the duration of this hypercharge. At 17th level, a helmsman gains the ability to select the following hypercharges. * ''Finishing Blow ''(3 points): This hypercharge may be used whenever the bonded vessel threatens a critical hit. The critical hit is automatically confirmed. * ''Last Stand ''(8 points): When the bonded vessel is destroyed, the helmsman may activate this ability. The vessel operates as if it were still functional for the duration of this hypercharge, ignoring any damage that it or its equipment takes in this time. 'Akashic Armaments (Su) Starting at 1st level, a helmsman gains the ability to imbue essence into his bonded vessel just as he would a veil. When investing essence into his vessel, he is limited by his veilshaper level as to how many points of essence he may invest into any one of the vessel’s armaments, but no limit exists regarding how many total points of essence may be invested into the vessel itself. If the vessel is destroyed, all of the essence invested in the mech is destroyed as essence burn. Starting at 2nd level, the helmsman may augment his vessel in the following ways: * Agility: For every point of essence invested in this armament, the bonded vessel gains a +1 insight bonus to AC. * Artillery: For every point of essence invested in this armament, the vessel gains a +1 insight bonus to attack and damage rolls on all of its weapons. If the weapon allows a saving throw against one of its effects, increase the DC of that saving throw by 1. * Propulsion: For every point of essence invested in this armament, the bonded vessel’s movement speeds all increase by 5 feet. If at least 2 points of essence are invested in this ability and the bonded vessel possesses a fly speed, the maneuverability is increased by 1 step. Starting at 9th level, the helmsman may augment his vessel in the following ways. * Endurance: For every point of essence invested in this armament, the vessel gains at +1 resistance bonus on all saving throws. * Repletion: For every point of essence invested in this armament, the vessel’s fast healing increases by 1. If it does not possess fast healing, it gains fast healing equal to the amount of essence invested in this armament. * Resilience: For every point of essence invested in this armament, the hardness of the vessel increases by 1. * Targeting: For every point of essence invested in this ability, the penalty from firing in multiple range increments or for making called shots with the vessel’s weapons decreases by 2. Starting at 16th level, the helmsman may augment his vessel in the following ways. * Lethality: For every point of essence invested in this armament, the critical threat range of one of the bonded vessel’s weapons increases by 1. This bonus is does not stack with effects such as the keen weapon property or the improved critical feat, and has a maximum range of 15: 20. * Responsiveness: For every point of essence invested in this armament, you gain a +1 insight bonus to initiative checks when piloting the vessel. * Tenacity: For every point of essence invested in this armament, the vessel gains the ability to gain the benefits of an additional Hypercharge as part of the same action the helmsman uses to activate an hypercharge. '''Chakra Binds At 2nd level and every 3 levels thereafter, the helmsman unlocks chakra binds in the following order: head, feet, wrist, shoulders, headband, neck, and body. Once a helmsman has unlocked a chakra bind, he may choose to bind a veil to that slot when shaping it to unlock its corresponding bind abilities. 'Lifebound Vessel (Su)' Starting at 4th level, the helmsman’s bond with his vessel develops further, allowing the helmsman to sacrifice his own hit points to retain the integrity of his machine. Whenever the bonded vessel takes enough damage to destroy it, the helmsman can sacrifice any number of hit points. Each hit point sacrificed in this way prevents 1 point of damage done to the vessel. 'Enhanced Capacity' The helmsman is particularly talented at investing essence. At 4th, 10th, and 19th level the essence capacity of all the helmsman’s essence receptacles increases by one. 'Adaptive Response (Ex)' Starting at 6th level, the helmsman gains the ability to rapidly adjust the essence within himself or his vessel in order to respond to threats quickly. Once per day, the helmsman can reallocate his essence as a free action rather than a swift action. He may do this even when it is not his turn. At 9th level and every 3 levels thereafter, the helmsman can use this ability one additional time per day (maximum 5/day at 18th level). 'Interface Binding' At 10th level, the helmsman gains an exclusive chakra, built around interacting and merging with an assistive interface. Rather than an allocation of energy or material upon one’s body, the interface chakra represents an investment of one’s abilities into a mechanical entity or network that helps to coordinate the user’s actions and strategies. 'Turboboost (Su)' At 12th level, a helmsman can infuse a vessel with a bind that they are not capable of normally utilizing, enhancing the machine dramatically at a cost. The helmsman’s bonded vessel gains the ability to gain the benefit of one additional chakra to which a veil of any kind can be shaped. However, every round that this chakra remains active, the helmsman takes an amount of essence burn equal to the amount of essence invested in this chakra. 'Improved Turboboost' Starting at 18th level, the helmsman only takes one point of essence burn per round if the bonded vessel has 1 or more points of essence invested in the hypercharge chakra. 'Peerless Strategist (Ex)' At 20th level, a helmsman’s skill and adaptability with his akashic abilities becomes second to none. The helmsman may shift his essence as an immediate action an unlimited number of times per day. In addition, the helmsman’s hypercharges require one fewer point of essence burn to use (minimum 0). 'Favored Class Options' *'Aasimar': Reduce essence burn for hypercharges by 1/4 (minimum 1). *'Android': Bonded vessel gains +1 additional battery points *'Blue': Increase essence capacity of bonded vessel by +1/6. *'Duergar': Bonded vessel gains a +1/2 bonus to Fortitude saves. *'Dwarf': Bonded vessel’s hardness increases by 1/3. *'Elf': Gain +1/4 additional uses of tactical adaptation. *'Forgeborn': Bonded vessel gains +1 additional hit points. *'Gamla': Bonded vessel’s reach increases by +1 ft. *'Gnome': One bonded vessel gains +1/5 additional weapon slots. *'Goblin': Reduce time needed to modify or repair your bonded vessel by 1/2 hours (minimum 1 hour). *'Halfling': Bonded vessel’s dexterity score increases by +1/3. *'Human': Gain +1/5 additional points of essence. *'Kobold': Increase bonus of hypercharges by +1/3. *'Maenad': Increase the bonuses from natural sailor by +1/2. *'Merfolk': +1 to movement speed of bonded vessel. *'Orc': Gain +1/4 additional hypercharges. *'Oread': Gain +1/4 to damage made with vessel weapons. *'Shabti': Creatures on bonded vessel gain +1/3 bonus on Profession (sailor) checks. *'Ratfolk': Bonded vessel gains +1/2 bonus to stealth and Acrobatics checks. *'Sobek': Bonded vessel gains +1/3 natural armor bonus. *'Suqur': Bonded vessel’s speeds increase by +2.5 feet. *'Tengu': Gain +1/4 bonus to critical confirmation rolls with bonded vessel weapons. *'Tiefling': +1/2 to AC of bonded vessel to confirm critical hits against it. *'Undine': +5 feet on range increments of bonded vessel’s ranged weapons on or underwater. Archetypes Experimental Engineer Fleet Commander Themistoclien